Luka First Laker Game Breakdown

Luka’s first night

The moment has come. Crypto crowd is able lay out its warm welcome to a player that was not on any Laker fans radar prior to nine days ago, but here we are. A generational player landed in the laps of a fanbase that many have thought were at least one or two moves away from legit playoff contention. But all is changed with Luka Doncic suiting up in the freshly sewn #77 purple and gold for the first time. Although the roster may seem quite precarious with no more reliable all around big like Anthony Davis holding down the front court, a Luka team is always going to be in a good spot, which we were able to enjoy tonight.

Game Breakdown

Luka’s first game being against a bottom three team in the Jazz could not get much better for building confidence and developing a smooth transition to the new system under former teammate JJ Reddick.

The game would start off hot in a way lots of Laker games tend to begin with a quick signature lob from LeBron to Jaxon Hayes. Followed then by a Luka lob to the bouncy fill-in starting center immediately in the next possession, much to the amusement of young Jaxon who now finds himself in a place to be catching lob passes from two of the best in the game.

LeBron looks to be enjoying the new offensive juggernaut by throwing Luka long outlet passes early and often to get the young Slovenian comfortable as quick as possible after his long time off. But with a feel for the game that Luka has been gifted with it does not take long, as he hits his second three-point attempt off a screen from Rui Hachimura.

A few minutes in Luka seemed to get a bit too excited playing with his basketball idol as he tosses a very optimistic alley-oop pass from the arc to a baseline cutting LeBron that goes far above the intended target.

LeBron being the experienced vet he is does not miss a step amidst the Luka-mania, hitting a number of turnaround fadeaways including one of the one-legged leaner rhythm jumpers he has added to the bag.

The Dorian Finney-Smith/Luka connection is not something to be underestimated as well. The two’s chemistry did not miss a beat where they looked to be having a great time on court together, also displayed in an early second chance basket where DFS tipped a rebound to a sneaky Luka for an easy layup.

JJ Reddick did warn pre-game that Luka would be curtailed to a minutes restriction so as to not strain the left calf more than needed, especially going into a two game stint against the lowly Jazz.

Luka would play a productive first seven minutes of the game to then be subbed out along with LeBron around the five-minute mark. Allowing the flaming hot Austin Reaves to continue into the floor general roll following the massive Pacers game a couple days ago.

Along with Austin Reaves, another player really filling his role (to a slightly lesser degree) has been Gabe Vincent. Hitting a couple of much needed shots near the end of the shot clock late in the first.

The Lakers would continue their recent efficient offensive games by finishing the first quarter with 37 points. Making it 37+ first quarter points in 4 of the last 6 games.

An underrated performer of the game was Jordan Goodwin who would finish with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Who was very active with his play time getting a lot of pesky baskets around the hoop, further diminishing any momentum from the Jazz.

Luke would get back in around the 7:30 mark of the second quarter. Getting right back into his slashing, playmaking play finding Rui in the corner for a 3 in his first possession back on.

Shortly after Luka would put on his own Kobe impression, hitting his first turnaround jumper attempt in the Lakers uniform. Also in that vein, Luka was tossing threes often to get himself back in the rhythm of playing basketball again.

Near the end of the first half, we were able to see inverse of the full court connection of Luka throwing a lead pass to LeBron leading to an easy basket.

The first half would end with a near buzzer beater three from an incredibly efficient Austin Reaves to make it a scorching 72 point half from the home team.

The second half would start off with another one of the 5 total lob passes that Jaxon Hayes would receive in the game, this time at the hands of Luka to get the crowd directly back into the excitement.

Then, in what seems to be a trend, the next possession would be finished with another lob pass from LeBron on the fastbreak to Hayes, to all but crush any hope the Jazz had at amounting any sort of fight in the game.

The Lakers would waltz into a 34 point lead in the third quarter that they would more or less coast on for the rest of the bout ending up in a cozy 132-113 finish. Which would allow some more of the supporting cast get their valuable court time. Much needed with a myriad of new acquisitions that need acclimatizing among the celebrity ridden environment that two of basketballs biggest stars together are going to attract for the remainder of the season.

Although Luka would finish with on 5/14 shooting he did make 50% of his shots early on to ignite the crowd. But during his minutes later in the game lots of his misses were falling up short, likely signaling that he has a ways yet to fully get his legs back under him. Luckily for him though, there is only one more game in Utah until the All-Star break to allow him to get even more time in the gym and solidifying his confidence with the calf before the second half of the season.

Even if Luka may have to do his best James Harden impersonation playing himself into shape after over a month-long hiatus from basketball. The prospects of a team dynamic with two world class floor controllers and an ever-athletic Jaxon Hayes on the receiving end of countless open lobs from the attention those two are going to draw is very promising from this first experience. Not to mention the player Austin Reaves has turn into in the meantime, along with Gabe Vincent and Rui doing exactly what is needed of them as secondary shot makers. Followed by the supporting cast that, even with the Hornets Williams trade falling through, has been an trade deadline to remember from the Lakers franchise, and a night that every fan will remember.